AB0178 POSTURAL DEFECTS IN CHILDREN AT EARLY SCHOOL AGE - CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Authors: A. Baranowska, M. Sierakowska, A. Owczarczuk, B. Olejnik, A. Lankau
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2023)

<h3>Background</h3> The physical posture of a person is a movement habit which is formed on a morphological and functional basis, associated with everyday activity. During a person's life, body posture changes, especially during growth. The first critical period for physical posture is the age of 7-10 years. It is associated with a change in the current lifestyle, with the transition from a large freedom of movement to staying in a sitting position at school for several hours [1-3]. Due to the prevalence of the problem and the possibility of effective prevention, it is important to detect posture defects early and identify risk factors in order to identify a group of children potentially at risk of posture defects. <h3>Objectives:</h3> 1.Assessment of the occurrence of posture defects viewed from the back and side in the study group of school-aged children. 2.Identification of factors related to the formation of posture abnormalities in the study group. <h3>Methods</h3> The study was covered among 141 children aged 7-10 attending grades 1-3 of the primary school in Bialystok, north-eastern Poland. The criterion for inclusion in the study was the child's age and parental consent. The study consisted of: 1.Measuring the child's height using a standard centimeter measure and the child's weight using an electronic scale. 2.Evaluation of body posture using the Kasperczyk scoring method. 3.Interview with the parents of the examined children using a self-designed questionnaire. <h3>Results</h3> Among the examined children (n=141), only one had not been diagnosed with any postural abnormalities, both from the back and from the side. Irregularities most often concerned: shoulders 73% (projected forward), feet 71% (lowered longitudinal), arch 49%, valgus heels 22%, flat feet 19%, shape of the spine (hyperlordosis 24%, flat back 18%), scoliotic posture 28% and pelvis (anterior tilt 43%). Gender differentiated only the occurrence of abnormalities in the waist triangles (p=0.0489) and knees (p=0.038) in boys. On the other hand, age differentiated the incidence of defects in the position of the shoulder blades (p=0.0037) and shoulders (p=0.0129) with a negative tendency with age. In 67% of the examined children, the BMI index was normal and did not differentiate the occurrence of posture defects. There was also no statistically significant correlation between the weight of the school bag and the number of posture defects. Looking for factors further, the parents of the surveyed children were asked about their lifestyle. Almost half of the children (47%) were transported to school by car. Most had a separate room (67%), their own desk (81%) and an adjustable chair (70%). Most children participated in physical education classes (96%), they also participated in extracurricular activities (77%) up to 2-3 times a week (43%). The eating habits of the majority of children were also correct, and the majority (92%) spend their free time in the yard. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Factors related to BMI, children's physical activity and nutrition were not related to the occurrence of posture defects. Despite this, almost all of the examined children had postural defects of varying severity, and mostly several defects. The posture that is revealed on the basis of research is a closed posture with the head pushed forward, with extended, retracted shoulders, hyperlordosis and anteversion. It seems that the research should be deepened and the causes of such a large number of posture defects among children should be found, for the purpose of early prevention. <h3>References</h3> [1] Anna Brzek, Ryszard Plinta: Exemplification of Movement Patterns and Their Influence on Body Posture in Younger School-Age Children on the Basis of an Authorial Program "I Take Care of My Spine". Medicine. 2016; 95, 12:1-11 [2] Javed A, Jumean M, Murad MH. Diagnostic performance of body mass index to identify obesity as defined by body adiposity in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatr Obes. 2015; 10:234–244. [3] Katzmarzyk PT, Barreira TV, Broyles ST, et al. Physical activity,sedentary time, and obesity in an international sample of children. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015; 47: 2062–2069. <h3>Acknowledgements:</h3> NIL. <h3>Disclosure of Interests</h3> None Declared.